Junior Kroll

Title: Junior Kroll

Author: Betty Paraskevas

Illustrator: Michael Paraskevas

Copyright Date: 1993

Genre: poetry

Theme: humor, family

Grades: 2-4

Summary

In this collection of poems, readers will meet a boy named Junior Kroll who proves to be as rambunctious, unique, and surprisingly sweet little kid as you'll ever meet. You will follow him as he interacts with his equally bizarre family, including his crazy great dane Max, his poker playing grandfather, and his teddy bear taking cousin.

What crazy adventures will Junior Kroll get into? Read this book to find out. 

Pre-reading Activity

The poems in this collection are all about the characters. It would be good to do a mini-lesson on characterization, both direct and indirect. Go over how the poet can just say how the character is and how describing their actions and words helps give the reader a full sense of who the character is and what they are like. 

During Reading Activity

During the reading have students keep track of Junior Kroll's characterization, using the information they learned in the pre-reading activity. Have them keep track of Junior's qualities, adding to the lists with each poem, and how the information was presented (directly or indirectly). Maybe share the new items on the list after each poem, especially if you are going to split the poems up over the course of several classes. 

Post-reading Activity

After reading through the collection of poems and gaining a better understanding who Junior is as a person, this would be a good opportunity for students to synthesize what they've learned from the various poems into a character analysis piece. They can either write a paragraph or a visual (such as a cut out of Junior with qualities written inside), where they explain who Junior is and back it up with examples. 

Author and Illustrator

Before becoming a children's book writer, Betty Paraskevas was a lyricist and playwright for broadway shows, working on plays such as No No Nannette. She was convinced to write her first book, On the Edge of the Sea, by her illustrator son Michael. After that one, she would go on to write almost twenty children's books, including four collections of Junior Kroll books and creating the Maggie and the Ferocious Beast books. She passed away in 2010. (Sources: book jacket and here)

Michael Paraskevas was already an illustrator prior to illustrating this book. Along with being the illustrator of every one of his mother's books, Michael has illustrated for other authors, such as On My Way to the Bath by Sarah Maizes. He is also an author in his own right, writing and illustrating the books, Taffy Saltwater's Yummy Summer Day and L.A. Times. He is the co-creator of Maggie and the Ferocious Beast. (Sources: book jacket and here)

Reflections

Along with Shel Silverstein, Junior Kroll dominated poetry during my childhood. Looking back on it as an adult and educator I can better appreciate the humor and sentimentality found in each poem. You can't help but fall in love with this precocious young boy, even if he puts frosting spiders on birthday cakes. I can't recommend this book enough.  

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here and if you want more Junior Kroll, look into getting his other three collections: Junior Kroll and Company, Junior Kroll, Esquire, and A Very Kroll Christmas

And Tango Makes Three

Title: And Tango Makes Three

Authors: Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Illustrator: Henry Cole

Copyright Date: 2005

Genre: Non-fiction

Theme: Families, animals, penguins, homosexuality

Grades: PreK-3

Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book Nominee, ASPCA Henry Bergh Book Award  

Winner, Bank Street Best Books of the Year (source)

Summary

In the Central Park Zoo there are many families. While most of the couples are made of a boy and a girl animal, Roy and Silo were two boy penguins who are in love and became a couple. When it came for the other penguin families to have children, Roy and Silo made a nest and worked to have a family of their own; even sitting on a rock in the hopes that it would hatch.

Will Roy and Silo ever have a family like the other penguin couples and what will Mr. Gramzay the zookeeper do with the extra egg he found? Read this book to find out. 

Pre-reading Activity

This book offers a great opportunity to teach about a family structure not always talked about with young children. Before reading the book, it might be good to have a quick discussion about different types of families the class might already be familiar with. Have the class help you make a list of different famil groups the students may have, such as a mother and father, single parent, foster parent, adopted parents, living with grandparents, being raised by a sibling, living with extended family, etc. 

It is important to point out that not only are every one of these families is completely okay but they have more things in common than they have differences. They have adults and children who love each other and work together to make their each others' lives happy.

Post-reading Activity

After reading and listening to this story once, it would be nice to have students make a Venn diagram comparing their own family to Roy, Silo, and Tango's. This may require a mini-lesson on Venn diagrams and/or a second read through so they can pick up on more details.

After their graphic organizers are completed, have students write a paragraph about how the two families are alike and different. 

Author and Illustrator

Along with being a writer, Justin Richardson works at Columbia and Cornell Universities as an assistant professor of psychiatry. He is the co-author another children's book (Christian the Hugging Lion), along with writing for adults in New York Times columns and the book, Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They'd Ask). He currently lives in New York with Peter Parnell. (Source: book jacket and here)

Peter Parnell is the co-author of two children's books (the other being Christian the Hugging Lion) but is also a successful playwright. His works have appeared on and off-Broadway (QED being his latest theatrical work) and he has also worked in television as a writer for Little Bear and as a producer for The Guardian and The West Wing. He currently lives in New York with Justin Richardson. (Sources: book jacket and here)

Henry Cole started out as an elementary teacher before becoming a full time writer and illustrator. He has worked on over fifty books including serving as the illustrator for Alyssa Satin Capucilli's Katy Duck series and  the author and illustrator of his own books like Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad and The Littlest Evergreen. He currently lives in Washington D.C. (Sources: book jacket, here, here and here)

Reflections

This book is controversial to say the least. It can be found on many schools' banned book lists because it deals with a topic that not everyone agrees on, same-sex couples and parents. This book doesn't deserve the  negative stigma that comes with being labeled banned. It shows a same-sex couple in an incredibly sensitive way, as two men who love each other and like being with each other. This would make a great introduction for students or even your children to these types of couples in an age appropriate way. Best of all, the entire story is true. I highly recommend this book, if not in your classroom, at least in your personal library. 

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here.